Sister C News | July 2026

Sister C News

July 2026

Brighter Starts on the Ballot this November

We were proud to have our CEO, Suzanne Crawford, represent Boulder County Family Resource Centers alongside other community partners at the July 23rd Boulder County Commissioners' meeting. Together, they advocated for referring the Brighter Start Boulder County initiative to the November ballot. We're thrilled to report that the Commissioners unanimously voted to place the measure on the November ballot!

The Brighter Start plan aims to:

Make child care more affordable
Expand spaces available for infants and toddlers
Stabilize teacher and provider workforce

We're especially excited about the initiative's focus on increasing the number of Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) spots available in Boulder County. CCAP helps families with low incomes pay for child care. For those who qualify, CCAP pays part of their childcare costs. Participants pay the rest based on their family size and income. To learn more about how CCAP helps Boulder families, read Ema's Story here or below.

At this time, Boulder County CCAP is on an enrollment freeze. Increasing access to affordable child care aligns with our advocacy priorities and addresses a critical need in our community. The shortage of affordable child care continues to put a strain on families, often increasing the need for financial assistance from Family Resource Centers like Sister Carmen.

Learn more about the initiative on the Brighter Start Boulder County website and in this Daily Camera article.

Ema's Story: Starting Over

as a Single Parent

Boulder County's Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) and our Cultivating Stability program helped Ema manage as a single parent.

Read her story here.

AT THE CENTER

Upcoming Closures

Saturday, August 22nd: Thrift Store closed for Volunteer BBQ. (Food Bank & Offices also closed as usual on Saturday.)

Friday, August 28th: All services (Food Bank, Offices & Thrift Store) closed for staff training.

Art = Lasting Impact

A huge thank you to this talented and generous group of artists for organizing an art sale in June to benefit Sister Carmen Community Center!

We count ourselves lucky to live in a community where creativity and compassion go hand in hand. By sharing their time, talent, and artwork, these artists helped make a meaningful difference for local families.

To every artist who donated a piece—thank you. To every community member who purchased one—thank you.

Together, you turned art into action, raising more than $15,000 to support our neighbors in need. Your generosity will have a lasting impact on our community, and we are deeply grateful.

Music = Lasting Impact

We are also incredibly grateful to Ensemble Charité for performing a Vive La France classical concert in May to benefit Sister Carmen Community Center!

A heartfelt thank you to the talented performers who shared their gifts with our community, to The Arts Hub for generously hosting the event, and to everyone who attended and supported this special concert.

Because of your generosity, the concert raised $1,230 to help Sister Carmen continue providing essential services and support to individuals and families in our community!

Special thanks to Kimberly (right in photo) from Ensemble Charité for hand delivering the donation.

Laughter = Lasting Impact

Another huge thank you to all the performers, venues, and guests who came together to laugh for good at this year’s Front Range Funny Festival! Together, you transformed laughter into lasting impact, raising $1,000 to help neighbors in need.

These funds will help Sister Carmen continue providing essential services and support to individuals and families in our community!

Special thanks to Hannah (left in photo) for dropping off the donation.

Fight Hunger at King Soopers

There are still a few days left in July to make a difference when you shop the King Soopers at 287 & Araphoe in Erie. $1 from every Fight Hunger bag purchased will be donated to Sister Carmen.

You can also support us every time you shop King Soopers by linking your loyalty card to Sister Carmen Community Center. Get started here:

King Soopers Community Rewards